Describing India as a "super power in the making", Russia said it was "not worried" over Indian armed forces buying military equipment from the US and pledged its support to see the Asian giant "strong militarily" apart from economically.
The assurance comes in the wake of reports that India was concerned over US supplying a new set of F-16s to Pakistan, a decision that could be a crucial geopolitical factor when the Indian Air Force (IAF) decides on the $10 billion Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender, described as 'mother of all deals'.
With over 550 islands dotting the strategically located spot in the Bay of Bengal with near 500 of them still uninhabited, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands provide the Indian armed forces the ideal landscape to train its troops on amphibious warfare, which entails landing on the beaches of the enemy territory and taking the gun fight right into the mainland.
"We talk about coming together in a constructive manner. That has been our (India's) theme always. India becoming the headmaster; that is never the intention. There are similar threats like piracy that affect all nations equally like the piracy off the Somalia coast... to that extent, yes," Verma told media persons in Port Blair when asked to comment on the US suggestion in this regard last week.
Pitching for a robust Indo-US military ties, US Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer said on Monday that America is ready to support India's drive to modernise its armed forces. "The United States is ready to support India in its drive to modernise its armed forces," Roemer said, inaugurating the five-day Cope India 2009 joint air exercises in Agra.
The Indian Air Force's plans to induct upgraded MiG-29 by March next year has been hit due to delay at the Russian end with the first lot of six aircraft likely to come in only by early 2011.
With the Mumbai terror attacks exposing lack of coordination among security agencies, India today completely overhauled its coastal security apparatus and handed over the overall responsibility of maritime security to the Navy.
"This projection is conditional. The army can fill up the vacancies in 20 years only by increasing training capacities in officers' academies, keeping exit rate of army officers low, and a handsome pay package to attract qualified youth," a senior officer at the army headquarters told PTI.
With the Indian armed forces facing a shortage of over 13,000 officers, the 30-lakh-strong National Cadet Corps seems to be the best bet to fill up vacant seats in the military academies.Finding success in motivating its cadets to join the armed forces, the NCC has been efficiently filling up the quota reserved for cadets with 'C' Certificates in the academies of the army, navy and air force.
A week after India announced setting up of an Integrated Cell to coordinate all military operations based on space assets, the Army's Directorate of Perspective Planning (DOPP) will organise a training programme tomorrow for officers to make them understand the tricks of the trade, Army sources said on Sunday.
In a move that could raise the hackles of neighbouring Pakistan and China, India will soon raise two new division-sized army formations to give more teeth to its mountain warfare machinery.The Defence Ministry's proposal for raising of the two mountain divisions was approved recently by the Cabinet Committee on Security, ministry sources said.The proposed mountain divisions will further enhance the tactical strength of the Indian army in its strategically important areas.
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